BufferedImage pixels Vs Graphics.drawImage
graphics, image, java, pixel
Solution
Advantages of going via the `Graphics` methods:
- It's usually simpler to use the ready-made higher level operations like `drawImage`
- You may benefit from hardware acceleration / optimisations on some platforms
- It works relatively independently of the underlying image format
Advantages of going down to the pixel buffer level:
- It can be useful for very specialised purposes, e.g. generating each pixel from some sort of formula / calculation (I use this technique to generate custom colour gradients, for example)
- It can be marginally faster for individual pixel operations (but likely to be slower for bulk operations like `drawImage`, because you don't get the hardware acceleration)
If it's just regular in-game rendering of a screen, I'd say the `Graphics` route is probably best. If you're doing something fancy like on-the-fly image generation, then the pixel buffer route can be worth exploring.
Problem
What is the difference between making a Buffered Image, and drawing on its pixels using: ``` private BufferedImage img; private int[] pixels; pixels = ((DataBufferInt) img.getRaster().getDataBuffer()); ``` And just using a Image for the ``` img ``` Variable And using img's graphics to do: ``` img.getGraphics().drawImage(/*image*/, x, y, observer); ``` EDIT: This is for game development!!